Nando's to revamp disabled care centre after being #NekNominated

Chicken fast food chain Nando’s received a ‘NekNomination’ last week and says it is refusing to play chicken.

“After all, the brand is not known for its refusal to accept a challenge,” the chain said in a statement.

 “At Nando’s we try always to have the courage to do the right thing,” said Lindani Mnyandu, Nando’s General Manager|Marketing Communications.

“And when we were NekNominated we knew we had to help Brent Lindeque achieve his turn-around dream, as well as reward the faith in us shown by Robbie Ragless and Yakeen Sadiq.

Nando’s South Africa will be helping the Sithandiwe Disabled Day Care Centre in the Alexandra township renovate their kitchen and dining area.

Zandile Ndhlovu and Anastasia Cohen have run Sithandiwe, a disabled day care centre in Alex, for many years. The facility looks after over 30 disabled children and over 30 disabled adults every day.

Nandos will completely revamp Sithandiwe’s kitchen and dining area.

“[Ragless and Sadiq] knew Nando’s was a perfect fit for this, and so did we. As we say in our video, how could we resist the opportunity to turn a dangerous online drinking game, that encouraged the irresponsible use of alcohol, into a challenge to fire up the world to do good rather than harm.”

#NekNomination is a social media trend that sees someone down an alcoholic beverage on video before nominating someone else to do the same. In an effort to turn this senseless trend on its head, Lindeque simply said: “Instead of making people drink, let’s give.”

With this in mind, Ragless and Sadiq cheekily filmed themselves driving past a rival food chain into a Nando’s where they procured a delectable Nando’s lunch for 90 underprivileged children at the Masikhululeke Educare Centre in Milnerton, Cape Town, before presenting Nando’s with the following challenge.

“Nando’s,” they said, “you’ve got one week to give whatever you want to whomever, but just make sure it’s charitable.”

It is a challenge that Nando’s accepted wholeheartedly.

Ashley Stansfield, Nando’s Advertising and PR Manager, said: “In a country such as ours there are many worthy causes, but we think that we have found one that is really special and has a philosophy that we share – bringing people together around a meal.”

Mnyandu said: “The kitchen and the action of sitting around a table at mealtimes is truly the life and soul of a family home and if Nando’s can inject that extra bit of life and soul into this environment it will begin to feel like a real home. As a brand that has family as part of its core values, we are privileged to be able to help this family.”

Stansfield said: “We were delighted to be able to help this amazing family and assist Brent in repurposing using this phenomenon to do good. Sithandiwe still needs a huge amount of help – so if there’s anyone out there who can help – consider yourselves #NekNominated.”